FYI Philly checks out top local spots for ice cream, Italian ice and other frozen treats

Alicia Vitarelli and Nydia Han beat the heat with some of our favorite frozen treats being served all over the region, from Italian ice to ice cream to cake.

A roundup of ice cream favorites to satisfy the sweet tooth

July is National Ice Cream Month and we are celebrating with some of our favorite treats around the Philadelphia region.

We have chef-inspired flavors from a James Beard nominee sharing some of his culture with every bite.

Learn about the Philadelphia Beignet, an ice cream sandwich that is a big hit in Brewerytown.

Water ice is on the menu with a homemade business featuring homemade treats.

We hit the beach for sweets and an ice cream corner that has been a hot spot for over 40 years.

Plus, milkshakes and mousse at Banana Mousse as the mother-daughter duo celebrates a second location of their popular dessert destination.

Dre's Water Ice & Ice Cream | Facebook | Instagram

5700 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139

484-381-0689

Over the Moon Ice Cream | Facebook | Instagram

2623 W. Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19130

484-381-0689

closed Mondays; Tue-Thurs 4-9pm, Fri-Sat 4-10pm, Sun 2-9pm

El Chingon | Facebook | Instagram

1524 South 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Banana Mousse | Facebook | Instagram

834 North Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19130

Second location: 5602 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139

Willow's Way Shore Refreshments | Facebook | Instagram

1 South Victoria Avenue, Ventnor City, NJ 08406

Chester Springs Creamery is serving up ice cream and education

Milky Way Farm has been a family-owned business for over 100 years and in 2001 they opened Chester Springs Creamery.

The ice cream is made on-site and the creamery offers 50 flavors, all named after the cows on the farm.

Some of the most popular flavors are Sammi's Smores, Bell's Blueberry Cheese Cake, Joy's Peanut Butter Fudge, and Molly's Mint Chocolate Chip.

You can also sip on a chocolate milkshake or get a spoonful of their brownie bliss sundae.

For those with dairy allergies, they also serve sorbets which consist of fruit and water.

Walk around the farm and admire the animals with your sweet treat this summer.

Summer hours are Tuesday-Sunday from 1-9 p.m. and to learn more about their seasonal hours you can visit their website for more.

Chester Springs Creamery | Facebook

521 E Uwchlan Ave, Chester Springs, PA 19425

WayHar Farms is a country market with farm fresh ice cream

Milking cows is the Lesher family business, dating back generations.

The family operates a 600-acre farm in Berks County with nearly 700 cows, 300 of which produce milk daily.

The family started making ice cream in 1970 when they opened the Way-Har Farms Market, named in honor of Wayne and Harold, the brothers who owned the farm.

The ice cream has become a major staple at the country store.

With more than 90 flavors rotating year-round available, by the scoop or to take home in a half gallon.

They make sundaes, milkshakes and every other ice cream iteration you can imagine, including a palette, which is like a flight of beers, only it's an ice cream sampler with four scoops of your choice.

The country store is a true destination with freshly baked pies and breads, local produce and a deli.

Way-Har Farms | Facebook | Instagram

7701 Bernville Road, Bernville, PA 19506

Scooped: An Ice Cream Trai l | Facebook | Instagram

Vita opens door to Italian gelateria, restaurant, coffee shop combo

Rittenhouse has a new gelateria-coffee shop, with the added intrigue of a hidden restaurant -- just beyond the red refrigerator door inside.

Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Massimo and Ana Boni opened Vita last year, launching with handmade gelato creations from Matt Cocco, plus pastries from Isgro's, and locally roasted coffee drinks.

Fast forward to this spring, Massimo unveiled a speakeasy-vibe Italian restaurant in the space behind the gelateria.

The reservations-only eatery features a bar, a garden, and a private dining room - but access is only granted with a code that is not sent until your reservation is made.

Vita | Instagram

261 S. 17th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Tres Fiori transforms healthy cupcakes into floral works of art

Gluten-free and organic baker Daniela Malavé is the owner of Tres Fiori.

After she discovered she had a gluten intolerance, she didn't want her dogs to have gluten and created gluten-free dog treats for sale.

She named the company Pawjackers and began getting requests to make human gluten-free desserts.

Using her artistry background Tres Fiori was born.

The self-taught baker creates organic and gluten-free cupcakes into beautiful succulents and bouquets.

You'll find her Venezuelan and Italian culture intertwined with her various flavors and the name of her business.

Tres Fiori is an ode to her mother and grandmother.

She now makes mini cupcakes and cakes.

Daniela Malavé hopes to turn Tres Fiori into a full-time business and create more difficult desserts gluten-free.

You can place an order by visiting her website or on the Tres Fiori Instagram page.

Website | Facebook | Instagram

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Visit 'Once Upon a Nation' Storytelling Benches Through September 2

'Once Upon a Nation' storytelling benches will transport you back in time.

Cari Feiler Bender, spokesperson for Historic Philadelphia, Inc., says that visiting the benches helps people navigate the rich history of the city, but it's done through "a person who can engage you in the story."

Reed M. Green is a storyteller located at the bench in Signer's Garden.

One of the stories he tells is about the Revolutionary War, and events that happened right where visitors are sitting.

"And you get that goosebump moment of saying, 'Wait, that happened right here,'" says Bender.

The program, created by Historic Philadelphia, Inc., is celebrating its 19th season.

"We have eight benches scattered all around Philadelphia's Historic District," says Bender. "It's our version of a history trail."

It's a walkable loop, and it's free.

"The benches in the historic district are meant to help you navigate the treasures that are already here," says Bender. "And this is our way of sharing them in a really fun and memorable way."

Visitors will hear true stories about people they may have never heard of before now.

Storyteller Fiona Moser tells about James Forten at Carpenters' Hall.

"I just told the story of James Forten, who was an influential African American who lived in Philadelphia during the time of the revolution," says Moser. "He was actually a privateer and fought against the British."

"Here at Signer's Garden, you might hear a story about secret things that happened inside the State House, which is what we know today as Independence Hall," says Bender.

"I tell one about a jailbreak from an old prison," says Green. "I feel like each story that I tell gives people a window into how people were thinking."

"They're three to five minutes," says Bender of the stories. "They're told on a continuing basis, between eleven and four, the five days a week that the benches are open."

Storyteller Courtney Mitchell tells a spy story at the bench adjacent to Independence Hall.

"The 'Once Upon a Nation' stories were all written by a historian," says Bender. "The park services are our partners. They vet our stories."

"And stories like these, they give a story-behind-the-story," says Mitchell. "And the everyday, average person who shaped American culture, and the world by extension sometimes."

"It's a lot of fun to show people that history is all around them, if they take a few minutes to look," says Moser.

'Once Upon a Nation' storytelling benches are open for the season through September 2.

Historic Philadelphia, Inc. - 'Once Upon a Nation' Storytelling Benches

Kismet Bagels Open's Kismet Luncheonette, an evening concept called Snack Shack